Community College vs University for Elective

[samhamiam]

Hi everyone!

 

Quick question. I have all my classes (Human anatomy and physiology, biology, physics, chemistry, cell bio) from a university. However, for microbiology and biochemistry I wanted to take them at the local community college. I know a lot of PA schools ask for them and they are so much cheaper and I wanted to save more for the application process since I want to apply to many schools. Should I be okay in the admissions eyes in doing that or should I spend 3x as much for university (but then probably apply to like 6 schools since I'll be out of funds sooner)

 

Just anyone who has any insight. Many schools I checked with said they didn't mind and would accept credit from a community college for those two classes but my main goal is to get into PA school so yeah...whichever helps me more!

 

Thank you!

[EMEDPA]

community college courses are fine for the vast majority of pa and med school programs.

[Maynard]

This has been addressed before in other threads. I've quoted admissions directors on the subject. I'll offer a new quote here: an admissions director I spoke to on the phone said, "Many schools don't mind, but our view is that community college doesn't prepare students for master's level coursework. It prepares students for bachelor's level coursework." Another student here on the forum was told by a program that they didn't mind CC credits, then after the interview (and subsequent rejection) they told her that, while they all loved her in the interview, they were worried that she took all her prereqs at CC.

 

Many people here on the forum take issue with me on this point, their chief arguments being that they think it's unfair and they know many people who got an admission with community college credits. We could use similar arguments to say that affirmative action doesn't exist, but I tend to think the stated opinions of multiple adcoms reflects some sort of underlying reality and isn't just something they say.

 

There are a few PA schools that categorically won't accept community college credits -- if you didn't take chem II at a 4-year school you don't get an admission. There are a few PA schools that are community colleges. My perception of things is that if community college offers a clear advantage to you, go ahead and do it. It's not such a huge deal that it's worth shelling out thousands of hard-earned dollars in tuition costs, but it's not something that'll work in your favor.

 

I raise these points mostly for the sake of forum members who have to retake classes or who are thinking about taking all their prereqs at CC before moving on to a 4-year school or who can easily afford university classes. For your particular case, as long as you performed well in the science coursework you already took then I think it will matter very little (and probably not at all). It's just a couple of classes. If you need to save the money go ahead and take them at CC.

[GatorChomp]

I would ask the specific programs you are interested in. I took 2 of my courses at a community college after all of my programs found them to be acceptable. In fact, they all said that a majority of the students take their leftover pre-reqs at a community college because it is much cheaper. In most cases, university level courses and community college courses will be critiqued on the same playing field as long as the majority of your coursework wasn't taken at a community college.

[samhamiam]

Thank you very much for all your responses! I will be taking all together 3 courses from a community college (microbiology w/lab, biochem w/lab, and medical terminology online). I have two undergraduate degress, economics and biology, so everything else is university courses. Please let me know if there is anything else you advise me to consider, I am very afraid I will impend anything regarding my application process this upcoming cycle!

[MassPA-C]

I took my basic sciences (bio and chem) at a university as well as 1 upper level course that schools required  (cell bio) and O-Chem w/lab, A&P w/labs, bio chem w/lab, micro w/lab, medical term, and psychology at the local community college (mainly because they had weekend classes and I worked full time). I did apply three years ago (just graduated) but I applied to 12 schools, got ten interviews, accepted 5 interview and was accepted at all five. I however, already had a masters degree in health policy from a top tier school so that may have worked in my favor as well as having a super strong app in all other areas... personally if you have taken most of them at a 4 year university and done well I dont see why it would count against you.

[WorkHardPlayHard]

I have had 0 issue with my community college pre reqs (4 interviews thus far this cycle). The only sciences I took at my university were micro, immunology, and genetics. The rest of the work is due diligence on your end, just call your programs and confirm what you're doing, should be no biggie!

[brian7]

I took both A&P 1 and 2, Gen Chem 1 and 2, and Micro all at a community college. I do have quite a few science classes at a University as thats where I took Ochem, Biochem, and a lot of others. Having said that I would go with community college to save some money. So far I have had 5 interviews and 1 acceptance. Good luck!

[UGoLong]

Since most PA program require a bachelors (from a 4 year school almost by definition), most applicants have a track record at at least one 4 year school. Community college course as prerequisites are very useful for the working person who wants to enter a PA program.

 

I personally saw no bias in the schools I applied to and all but one of my prereqs came from the local community college. In Ohio, community college courses often transfer to a public, 4 year college anyway. My biochem course in community college was mostly made up of premed majors from OSU who wanted to take the course from a PhD who was a native English speaker.

 

Bottom line: check with the programs that you plan on applying to in order to be sure and then do what's best for you.